A little while ago, Chris and I were watching my new obsession "Holmes on Homes" on HGTV. I think that's the network it's on? Anyway, if you haven't seen it, it's basically this Canadian guy named Mike Holmes who is a contractor/builder who wears these overalls over a white tank top. He's all muscular and tan (he reminds me of Paul Bunyan without the ox) as he swoops in and saves people from contractor nightmares. For example, a couple spent $25,000 on a new bathroom remodel and then the shower was leaking and the ceiling was molding, paint was peeling...come to find out that everything was installed improperly leading to water leaking into their walls, floors, to the rooms below, etc. So, Holmes comes in and fixes it all for them and saves the day. There are all kinds of episodes of different nightmares and he makes everyone so happy. I love it. One episode, he said, "we can clean all the crap out of there and start over" (or something like that) but they blanked out the word "crap." I looked at Chris and said "Hey! They just bleeped the word crap! That's weird? Since when can't you say that word??" He casually looked over at me and said "It's a swear." And I was shocked. "No it isn't!" I cried! He told me: "Well, in MY house growing up it was considered a bad word. Not the kind where your mouth got washed out with soap, but enough to make my Mom say "Hey! Watch your mouth!" I sat and thought about this for a minute, shocked. And then I said "I've ALWAYS said crap! It's my go-to word!? I had no idea it was seen as bad?" My brain raced to think about the 7 million times I've said that very word in front of his mother. (but I've said many worse words tossed casually around so I guess it's a wash) He then says "I KNOW." I guess he'd noticed my 7 million mentions of the word around his Mom too. So I then countered with, "Well, in OUR house we could say crap. We weren't supposed to say the F-word or the SH-word and damn and friggin' were the ones that would warrant a "Watch your language" from Mom. But crap was always ok." I guess crap was on the "friggin'" and "damn" list in his house. So, I called my father. "Dad, Chris says that 'crap' is a pseudo-swear. You couldn't say it in his house without a firm talking to. What's the deal?" He was surprised himself and thought for a minute. Then he said "Well, I always say, Can you say it in school?" I replied yes, I'd said it in school a lot and never got punished. "There you go," he said. "You may not learn a lot of crap but you can say it!" (or something to that effect).
Still, I've decided I need to curb my horrid language, especially now that Little P is here and she's a listenin'. The word "Shazbot" has been flying around quite a bit. Is that one ok? If Mork from "Mork and Mindy" could say it, it MUST be ok?
And just because, here is a cute photo of Paige from the day before Easter when we were at my sister-in-law's house for Easter dinner. She's holding a plastic corn. Don't worry, she didn't eat it. Have a great day!
If she's been listening to you at all the past 11 months, Paige's first word is definitely going to be "douche". :-)
ReplyDeleteSue, you are probably right. I wonder if douche is on the "friggin'" list? I think you can say "douche" right? It was on commercials all those years...hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's bad that I use the word as slander.
I can see all sides of this debate. I say "darn" a lot and my 4yr old tells me not to say it, it's a ba word! I am learning to say, "oh sugar!" instead! I used to know an upperclass Ugandan woman who would say oh sugar!
ReplyDeletealso,"phooey!" would be good!
good luck on making the change! boy is it hard! these crappy "other" words never feel as good! lol